* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * "I lindor kenea elda, ar wilne sinome." Heru awoke to the sound of a voice. He opened his eyes to see three elves standing above him; he seemed to be lying on a cot. It also appeared that he had interrupted an important conversation.

"Well, look who's finally awake." A single elf said. The elf gestured to another, and said, "Go tell Thranduil he's awake." He then turned to Heru. "You were out for quite a while, and have quite a bump on your head." Heru didn't respond, but merely tried to sit up. Immediately a wave of pain went through his body, and he lay still.

"What happened?" He croaked.

"That's what we were about to ask you."

The one elf said, dropping his friendly tone. Heru was confused. "What.?"

"Havo dad, Eithno."

An elf said to the first one, who was now quivering with rage. The second elf walked over to Heru's cot.

"The other night, at the party, where were you?" He questioned. Heru's mind raced, he was so groggy.

"I. I was in the main hall with everyone else. Ask Alcar, I spoke with him." The elf's eyes did nothing but harden.

"And after that, where did you go?" Heru was silent. "You went outdoors, beyond the castle walls, didn't you Heru?" His silence was enough to answer the question. But later questioning was interrupted by King Thranduil, who at that moment entered the room.

"Aiya Aran! Aiya Aran!" All the elves in the room chanted. (Hail King! Hail King!)

"Aiya Aran." Heru weakly said. Thranduil circled around to the cot and looked down at Heru. His gray eyes flashed in anger, and he had wondered what had happened to make his king so angry.

"He has admitted to being in the forest alone, sire." Eithno reported, bowing. Thranduil showed no sign of response.

"Why did you do it?" The King asked, his voice a deadly whisper. Troubled, Heru replied

"I do not know of which you speak sire." "For the love of Eru!" The king yelled. The other elves backed away.

"Do you not know what happened last night, Heru?" Feeling very unnerved, Heru shook his head.

"A dwarf was found last night, outside the castle grounds." Heru stared at the king, wondering what was to come next. "He was dead, Heru. DEAD." Heru's eyes grew wide. "A nauco? Dead? What happened?? Did a spider get him? What happened King Thranduil?" Heru asked. Thranduil merely scowled.

"A spider got to him indeed. This young dwarf was found beaten and bloody, with an arrow piercing his skull." Heru's mind raced.

"But sire, that could only mean." Thranduil raised his hand, silencing the elf.

"He was found," Thranduil repeated loudly, drawing an arrow from his tunic. "With an arrow through his head. YOUR arrow, Heru." With that, he showed the arrow to all in the room, which was of black branch, with a white spearhead. In the side of the spear were two intricately carved leaves wrapped around each other. Heru's mark.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Eruan's eyes grew wide in horror.

"Arda!" He gasped. "You didn't! How could you?!" He began to sob. Heru swiftly took his son in his arms and said firmly,

"Now you listen here Eruan, I never harmed another living creature, save wild game, and I certainly did not murder that dwarf. It was a mistake. I had been out beyond the castle grounds, at the wrong place at the wrong time. I don't know how my arrow found its way through that young one, but it wasn't by my hand. Do you understand?" Eruan wiped his eyes on his tunic.

"Yes arda. I don't believe you would hurt a nauco." Heru's face softened, and he embraced Eruan.

"Thank you Eruan, you don't know how much that means to me." He let go. "To continue, every elf and dwarf in that castle believed I had killed the dwarf. The only one who had doubt was your mother. She gave birth to you that afternoon actually, before the incident. I didn't know you were born until three days later, when I met with her. Anyway, every dwarf that could be found wanted me executed, dead. Most elves felt that way too, but Louanniel, the new queen of Mirkwood, convinced Thranduil that it is not the way of higher elves to spill more blood when the one is question steadfastly maintains his innocence. She saved my life." A single tear slid down Heru's face. Eruan furrowed his brow.

"I never knew we had a queen, father." Heru looked up.

"Yes, son, we did. Louanniel. There was no one fairer in my eyes, except perhaps your mother." He smiled.

"She was kind and noble to all, a true painting of royalty and beauty."

"But what happened to her father?" Heru sighed.

"She died giving birth to Thranduil's only heir, Legolas. It wasn't that long after you were born however, not long at all." Heru shifted his position. "And that is why we live here. After deciding against killing me, Thranduil banished me and your mother from the castle, but with Louanniel's protests allowed us to live in Mirkwood. I was stripped of my true name; all the elves began to call me Moreldar, or 'the black elf'. The Dwarves were furious I was left alive, and they left our woods themselves, and elves and dwarves alike have been bitter enemies ever since. Your mother and I moved once again however, when Louanniel died. I suppose Thranduil was under a lot of pressure from his people to hunt me down. They will never find us here; this is an enchanted, magical place. Only friends may enter." Heru looked down at his son, only to see that he had fallen asleep. Heru smiled.

"Fuume nessa mine." (Sleep young one.) He whispered, kissing Eruan on his brow. Eruan slept on, not knowing that at that moment a group of hunters were combing the forest, under orders of Thranduil.

"Find the Etteseldo!" Thranduil commanded. And the great hunter elves began looking for the elf mentioned by a maiden, the 'one from Lothlorien with the strange eyes'.

* * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *